Portable swing



(No' Model.) s Sheets-Sheet 1.,

' F. H. CUTLER. PORTABLE SWING.

Ww M m w N. PETERS. Photo-Lithographer. Wilhillliun EC.

(No Model.)

P.H.OUTLER.

3 Sheets-Sheet '2.

PORTABLE SWING.

Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

Elam/Mo N. PETERS. Phuloliihogrzphn. Wuhingmn. I74 C.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

F. H. OUTLEB V PORTABLE SWING.

No. 367,788. Patented Aug. 9, I887.

mill .1

N. PFIERS. Pbotb-Libognphcr. Washington, u. z;

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

FRED H. CUTLER, OF BUFFALO, NEYV YORK.

PORTABLE SWING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,788, dated August 9, 1887.

Application filed Aplil 19,1896. Serial No.199,283. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED H. CUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city upon the present construction of such swings.

V of the swing when folded for storage.

The invention consists in the construction and combinations of the supporting standards and frame, the oscillating swing-rods, and the straining or tension braces. v V

In the accompanying drawings like letters refer to like parts in each figure thereof.

Figure 1 is an end view of the swing with a portion of the tension-bar broken away, and with dotted lines indicating the position of the legs before the tension-brace was applied. Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe swing ready for use, but with dotted lines indicating the position of the tension-braces when folded for storage or transportation. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the swing when folded, showing theposition of the oscillating swing rods and the tie-brace pivoted on the same pin; and Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings illustrate details of construction.

It is desirable that the legs or supports of a swing should be farther apart at the bottom than they are at the top, as stability is given to the frame thereby; hence heretofore, in order to accomplish this, the legs or supports of each wing or sectionhave been secured together-(at their upper ends) in diagonal lines, thereby making the distance between them at their feet or base much greater than at the top; hence, when packing, extra room is required for the feet, and extra care and time are necessary in their construction by reason of their bevels and angles. Then, too, the legs of each wing being secured together diagonally to each other, the two wings cannot be folded closely together without removing the braces, as these of course bind on the broader and narrower parts of the opposite wing, for each wing ,is much broader below the tie-brace, and much narrower above it than at the point where the tie-brace is pivoted.

Now, to overcome the foregoing objections, I construct the swing as illustrated in the ac-. companyiug drawings.

A and A represent the legs of one wing,and B and B the legs'of the other wing; C and D, the cross-boards, tov which the four legs are bolted.

. E and F represent the tiebraces pivoting the two wings together.

G and G and H and H represent the (le pending oscillating swing-rods, and Y and Z the tension-braces.

The legs of each wing or section are bolted to the cross-board squarely across it-that is, in exactly parallel lines as clearly shown in the drawings at Figs. 1 and 3, (a and I) representing the bolts;) hence thclegs of either wing arethe same'distance apart through their entire length. The two wings are tied together by means of tie'braces E and F, as shown in Figs."2 and 4, and may be readily folded togethelyas shown by the cross-section at Fig.

4, whereas had the legs, instead of being secured parallel, been secured diagonally across the cross-boards, as has been done heretofore, the tie-rods E and F would prevent their folding, for the reason that a portion of the extreme upper end of each of the legs forming one wing must pass outside thetie-rods, it"

folded closely, (see Fig. 4,) and this would not be possible if the legs .were secured to the crossboards diagonally, for then the upper ends would be much nearer together than the tie braces themselves, and hence could not possibly pass outside of them.

The upper ends of the legs are beveled and provided with dowel-pins, or holes for dowelpins, as shown. in Figs. 2, 3, and at, and the two wings are tied together by means of tierods E and F, and the lower ends of the legs of the two wings thrown apart, their upper ends engaging, as shown in Fig. 2. The tierods prevent their further separation, and the legs are far enough apart at their base to securely brace the swing longitudinally or lengthwise.

Now, to brace the swing sidewise I provide the tension-braces Y and Z. These braces are about double the length of the cross-boards, and one end of each'is secured to one leg of a wing (or section) by means of proper bolts, as shown, and the other end of the brace is left' IOO free and provided with the plate S, hereinafter described. XVhen the swing is set up for use, the legs of each wing are forced apart at their base sutliciently to give them the proper curves and secure the proper side bracing for the swing. (See Fig. 1.) The braces Y and Z are then secured in place by means of bolts T and hold the legs apart, as shown in Fig. 1, thercby not only bracing the swing sidewise, but adding to its attractiveness by giving it the appearance of being constructed with curved legs, and therefore more ornamental.

The seat is provided with four large bolts or pins, such as shown in Fig. 6, and two are secured in each side thereof, with their ends protruding and designed to enter perforations in the oscillating swing-rods.

The manner of attaching and detaching the tensioirbraees Y and Z and swing-rods G, G, H, and H will now be explained. The lower end of each of the four swingrods and one end of each tension-brace is provided with a perforation larger than the bolt T, (shown in Fig. 6,) and over these holes are secured metal plates S. (Shown in Fig. .3.) The plate is provided with two slots, 1 and 2, the smaller slot, 1, being for the reception of the screw which secures the plate, and enables the plate S to be freely moved up and down without removing the attaching-screw. The larger slot, 2, is designed for the reception of the neck of the bolt T, and at one extremity the slot is enlarged sufficiently to receive the bolt itself. Now, by means of an ordinary screw passing through the slot 1 the plate is secured in such a position that the narrow portion of the slot 2 will (when the plate is in its normal position) be directly over the perforation designed for the reception of the bolt T. Then by simply forcing the plate back the other end or elongated portion of the slot 2 is brought directly over the perforation, and the rod or brace may be forced bodily, plate and all, onto the bolt, and leave the end of the bolt protruding beyond the plate. Then by forcing back the plate onto the neck of the bolt to its normal position the rod or brace is secured.

I am aware ofthepatcntto Cole, No. 116,560, of July 4, 1871, and of the patent to Shoeninger, No. 153,681, of August 4, 1874, but claim nothing, either shown, described, or claimed, in either of them.

\Vhat I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A portable swing composed of two wings or sections, each provided with legs adapted to be bent, separated, or sprung apart at the bottom and secured in that position by a brace, for the purpose of laterally bracing the swing when in use, and returnable to former position for transportation, storage, and the like, substantially as shown, and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with a portable swing composed of two wings or sections, each provided with legs adapted to be bent, separated, orsprung apart at the bottom, for the purpose oflaterally bracing the swing when in use, of a detachable tension-brace adapted to hold apart the said legs when separated, substantially as shown, and for the purposes set forth.

, FRED II. lU'lLER.

)Vitnesses:

AnNnn CUTLER, SILAS J. DoUe'LAss. 

